I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to adjustable tripods or quadripods and more particularly to such tripods or quadripods having slidably and pivotally secured legs to support macrame work hung therefrom.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Tripods have long been known and used to provide support for objects mounted below the apex of the tripod. Moreover, tripods have previously been used to support objects suspended from the tripod directly below its apex. Although such tripods are often provided with permanently positioned legs, other tripods have been provided with legs that can be pivoted at the apex of the tripod so that a leg may be spread apart from the plane of the other two legs and thereby increase the stance of the tripod. Since tripods are relatively stable structures and can support a substantial amount of weight even pivotal leg tripods must be provided with means to prevent the movement of the legs with respect to each other while a load is applied to the tripod in order to prevent slippage or collapse of the tripod. In addition, it is often desirable to include a fourth leg in the frame to increase stability. Moreover, in order to maintain stability of these previously known load supporting structures, no other displacement of the legs with respect to each other has been provied or even desired.
Such rigidity is disadvantageous in a frame used for making macrame. In order to make a macrame article, strands of yarn or other similar material must be suspended by an elevated bar or frame. Various strands are then tied in a variety of combinations to form a series of knots. As the knots are formed, the length of the macrame article increases accordingly. Consequently, the height at which the knots are being tied continues to decrease. If the article is suspended at a stationary height, the worker must first reach up to and then gradually stoop down towards the area of the article at which the knots are tied.
Since making macrame is often a lengthy project, it is desirable to provide a chair between the legs of the support structure in order to provide a comfortable working position. Tripods with permanently attached or merely pivoting legs can make it difficult to position a chair between the legs and can make access to and egress from the chair difficult.
It is also desirable to be able to adjust the height of the macrame article so that as the length of the article increases, the portion of the article being worked on can be maintained at a comfortable working height. Previously known macrame suspension means often require that the worker move from the comfortable working position in order to reach and adjust the suspended support means. Although a pulley and depending cord arrangement have been used to suspend articles from a tripod, it has not been previously known to adjust height of the depending cord by securing the other end of the cord at a variety of positions along the length of one of the legs of the tripod. Furthermore, when a tripod with permanently positioned or merely pivotal legs is used, such a cord fastening means would still require that the worker move from the comfortable working position in order to adjust the height of the depending cord.